DI: What is the main principle, idea and inspiration behind your design?
: Mobility is a basic human need to perform daily tasks and have a meaningful social life. On the other hand, limited mobility is associated with higher rates of depression, social isolation, and obesity. This is clear that human abilities decrease over time and one's dependence on aiding devices increases. Infinity walk-chair was designed to cover the needs of people with various levels of disability and to offer them an additional option as they became weaker.
DI: What has been your main focus in designing this work? Especially what did you want to achieve?
: This project aimed to develop a new smart and appealing walking aid to help people with various levels of mobility limitations, become as independent as possible for doing daily activities. Our Design Philosophy was to bring form and function together in order to make a pleasant design.
DI: How long did it take you to design this particular concept?
: About 5 months
DI: Is your design being produced or used by another company, or do you plan to sell or lease the production rights or do you intent to produce your work yourself?
: I am intended to sell my design concept
DI: What made you design this particular type of work?
: When I was observing elderly people for a research program, I found their real problem with using walking aids and wanted to resolve their problem and make their life much easier.
DI: Who is the target customer for his design?
: As I mentioned before, this idea is developed for elderly people with different levels of mobility limitations
DI: What sets this design apart from other similar or resembling concepts?
: While using conventional walking aids requires holding and pushing the device, the Infinity walk-chair is developed to carries the user and ease normal walking speed. The product is designed especially for people who are not as much disabled to use a wheelchair but have difficulty walking for long distances even by using walking aids. Infinity walk-chair gives them the choice to use the product as an electric rollator or wheelchair and encourages them to walk and be active for as long as possible. This option would lead them to improve their abilities and their social life.
DI: What is the most unique aspect of your design?
: The product is equipped with two electric hub motors, making this possible for the user to adjust the desired walking speed and easily walk even downhill or uphill. The wheels are locked by electromagnetic brakes and just roll with electric power, not the user's push or gravity force. However, for the emergency situation, a free-wheel lever is provided. This special design, ease normal walking speed and eliminate the risk of accidental slips and injuries due to dizziness or weakness. The Infinity walker can be converted to a wheelchair in a second, this function encourages the user to walk and be active for as long as possible.
DI: What is the role of technology in this particular design?
: The Infinity walking aid is operated by a simple touch sensor on the right handgrip that resolves the need for hand brakes and powerful gripping. To activate the electric motors and start walking, the user just needs to touch the sensor and hold the handgrip. The product is equipped with a foldable seat which converts the product into a motorized wheelchair. By unfolding the seat, the product operation mode will be changed and touch buttons became deactivated. In this case, the wheelchair’s movement can be controlled by a simple joystick mounted on the left handgrip.
DI: What are some of the challenges you faced during the design/realization of your concept?
: The most challenging issue about this project was creating technical and aesthetic consistency among different parts of the product